Electrical locking alarm system

ABSTRACT

A lock including magnetically actuated reed switches positioned in a predetermined position and operatively connected into an electrical circuit having an alarm actuated by trip switches, wherein the lock is set for alarm actuation by a key having magnets arranged in a pattern to coincide with said lock.

United'Stats Patent '[1' 1 7 I [1!] 3,813,663 Perkins May 28, 1974 [54]ELECTRICAL LOCKING ALARM SYSTEM 2,882,455 4/1959 Ferguson, Jr. 3l7/l35 W1 Inventor: Dale Perkins, 8137 Phlox 3:325:02 3/132? tviifiit'iijjjiiiiiif'""""131i:1 3531;: Downey, C3115 90241 3,569,928 3 1971Avalcone 340/64 x Nov. 10, 3,705,277 l2/l972 Sedley 70/276 X [21] Appl.No.: 305,421 Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell AssistantExaminer-William M. Wannisky 52 us. Cl 340/274, 340/164 R; 200/44,Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ronald Juniper 317/134, 70/DlG. 49 [Sl] Int.Cl. G08b 13/08 57 ABSTRACT {58] Field of Search 340/274, 147 MD, 149 R,

340/149 A 64 A; 200/6166 44 45; A lock including magnetically actuatedreed switches 70/276, 2777 278, 64 317/134 positioned in a predeterminedposition and operatively connected into an electrical circuit having analarm [56] References Cited actuated by trip switches, wherein the lockis set for UNITED STATES PATENTS alarm actuation by a key having magnetsarranged in a v 1 pattern to coincide with said lock. 2,648,729 8/1953Noregaard 200/45 2,769,873 I 1/1956 9 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresNoregaard 200/87 1 1 ELECTRICAL LOCKING ALARM SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION tus has been invented. It is an effective inexpensive systemthat is very reliable and virtually tamper-proof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric, partlyfragmented, view of the reed switch capsule container portion of thelock mounted on the window of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational end view of the reed. switch capsulecontainer and connected wires taken through the window section shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational end view of the reed switch capsule containeras shown in FIG. 2 with the mating key placed on the oppositeside of thewindow from the capsule container.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a typical circuit arrangement for operation ofthe subject lock, an internal view of the connected reed switches in thecapsule container, and also a plan view of the internal position of eachof the magnets in the mating key when turned over from set to re-setposition.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the internal magnets in the key takenthrough 55 in FIG. 4. I

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the internalreed switches taken through6-6 of the capsule container in FIG. 4.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Basically, this locking system includes analarm which is actuated by trip switches placed wherever entry isintended to be denied. Electrical circuitry connecting the alarm andswitches is setfor actuation or reset for neutralization by means ofopening or closing specifically arranged reed switches in the circuitrysystem which are generally containedin an opaque capsule attached to theinterior of a relatively thin. nonmagnetic wall surface, such as awindow.

A separated key in the form of a capsule containing magnets arranged tomatch selected reed switches in the circuitry system is provided so thatin one position reed switches are activated to set the connectedcircuitry and, in another position, to reset it. Also, a'reed switch ismounted in the reed switch capsule which is connected to the alarm butis not activated by the magnets in the key when properly positioned.However, if a magnet comes adjacent to it by mispositioning the key orotherwise, it is actuated so as to serve as an antitampering device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings as anillustrative example of an embodiment of this invention, FIG. 4discloses operative circuitry which include an alarm 10 activated asdescribed hereinafter. In the electrical circuitry shown, a reset relay12 is normally closed and a set relay I4 is normally open.Interconnected in the circuitry between reset relay 12, set relay 14 andalarm 10 is a normally open trip relay l6 and a number of external,normally open, trip switches 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28, which are wiredparallel.

Incorporated in. a normally opaque (but shown transparent in FIG. 4)piece of non-magnetic material locking capsule 30 are concealed resetreed switches 32, 34 and 36, a set reed switch 38 and an anti-tamperingreed switch 40. These switches are interconnected into the circuitryhereinbefore described. The reed switches are of the type which consistsof a small glass cylinder within which are contained a pair ofmagnetically deflectable overlapping wires (spaced normally slightlyapart) which extend outside opposite ends of the glass cylinder.

When in the presence of a magnetic field of flux these small wires inthe reed switches are deflected toward each other until they contact.Thus, when the end of each wire extending outside of the glass cylinderis connected into a circuit, as shown in FIG. 4, that portion of thecircuit within the reed switch is closed when in the presence of amagnetic force. Some reed switches are the reverse of those shown here.That is, they are normally closed and are opened by magnetic force. Suchswitches, could be used in this system if the comparable parts of theoperative circuitry were also reversed.

The magnetic actuation characteristic of the reed switch operation isutilized in this invention by providing a key 50 which is a flat,opaque, eight-sided object, matching the locking capsule 30 and made ofnonmagnetic material. Key 50 contains magnets 52, 54 and 56 which are ofsufficient magnetic force to selectively actuate the reed switches whenplaced immediately adjacent thereto. Accordingly, the magnets are posi-,tioned within the key 50 so that at a predetermined position some ofthem are close enough to selected reed switches to actuate them when key50 is placed adjacent to locking capsule 30.

The particular pattern of the magnets and reed switches to be actuateddepends upon the circuitry arrangement of which FIG. 4 is anillustrative example. Thus, in order to set the alarm circuit inoperation so that closing any one of the trip switches will actuate it,key 50 is turned to the side 60, as shown in the top left of FIG. 4, andcarefully placed in alignment over lock ing capsule 30. In this positionmagnet 54 is adjacent to reed switch 38 and near enough so that it isclosed in order to, in turn, close normally open set relay 14. (Notice,that even though magnets 52 and 56 are also adjacent to reed switches 32and 36, respectively, and do actuate them, the circuit through the resetrelay 12 is not actuated because reed switch 34 in that circuit is stillopen.)

In order to neutralize the alarm system so that authorized persons maygain entry without setting it off, key 50 is turned over to its side 62as shown to the right of the locking capsule in FIG. 4. Then when thekey 50 is aligned with locking capsule 30 and carefully placed over it,magnets 54, 56 and 52 coincide with reed switches 32, 34 and 36,respectively, and are close enough to them so that they are actuated toclose thereby opening the normally closed reset relay 12.

In order to ensure that the alarm 10 cannot be neutralized by guessingat the location of the reed switches hidden in the opaque material ofthe locking capsule 30 the reed switch 40 will be actuated by a nearbymagnet thereby closing the normally open anti-tampering relay l6 andcircuit to alarm 10.

In operation, the locking system is energized by an electrical powersource 70, which can be the regular direct current battery of a vehiclein the system shown. The locking capsule 30 is attached to the inside ofa non-magnetic surface such as the glass window 72 of the vehicle 74. Inturn, the capsule 30 is interconnected by wires 76 to circuitry such asshown in FIG. 4. The trip switches 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 are located foractuation at all places where unauthorized breaking and entry is likelyto occur, such as the doors and windows.

Thus, for example, when the system is installed as shown in thedrawings, after the owner. of a vehicle has locked his vehicle in thenormal manner, he will then carefully place the set side 60 of the key50 in alignment with the locking capsule 30 close enough on the outsideof the glass window 30 that the set relay 14 is actuated. Then, the key50 is removed and anyone attempting to open any entry covered by a tripswitch or tampering with the locking capsule 30 will set off the alarm10. When the owner of the vehicle returns, he neutralizes the alarmsystem by carefully aligning the reset side 62 of the key 50 with thelocking capsule 30 by placing it close enough on the outside of theglass window 72 to actuate the reset relay 12. Then the vehicle can beunlocked in the normal manner without setting off the alarm. A

The embodiment of this invention illustrated here is intended as anexample only since variations within the spirit of the inventive conceptdefined herein are intended to be comprehended. Thus, the pattern forthe reed switches and matching magnets can be modified extensively solong as sufficient security is maintained to prevent easily breaking thelocking system. Also, though it is preferable to include theanti-tampering reed switch and relay,an operative set and reset circuitcan function without it but with some loss in antitamperingeffectiveness. A single reed switch in the reset circuit could operateit, but without nearly the mathematical security from accidental orunauthorized actuation as is provided with the preferred patternarrangement, such as reed switches 32, 34 and 36 shown.

I claim: v

l. A locking alarm system including:

a lock comprising a plurality of concealed magnetically activated reedswitches arranged in a predetermined pattern; an alarm circuitelectrically connected with said reed switches; a source of electricalpower interconnected with said alarm circuit; an alarm deviceelectrically connected withinsaid alarm circuit; at least one tripswitch electrically connected with said alarm circuit; a separate keyhaving magnets disposed so as to coincide with selected set reedswitches to actuate said alarm device for triggering, said magnetscapable of activating said reed switches when said key is moved close tothem; a reset circuit which neutralizes said alarm and wherein at leastone of said reed switches in said lock is a reset reed switchinterconnected within said reset circuit and capable of actuating itwhen said reset switch is activated, and said key magnets are positionedso as to be capable of acti vating said reset switch without activatingthe other reed switches in said circuit; wherein, when both saidselected set reed switches and said trip switch are activated, saidalarm circuit is closed and said alarm device is thereby triggered.

2. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 1 which includes anormally open set relay and a normally closed reset relay interconnectedin electrical circuitry with said alarm device, wherein said set relayis responsive to activation of said set reed switches and said resetrelay is responsive to activation of said reset reed switches.

3. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 2 wherein said reedswitches are encapsulated within opaque nonmagnetic material within saidlock.

4. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 3 wherein there are aplurality of parallel wired trip switches electrically connected to saidalarm circuit.

5. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 4 which includes ananti-tampering reed switch in said lock, an anti-tampering relayelectrically connected with said alarm device and said set relaywherein, when said set relay is activated, magnetic attraction adjacentto said anti-tampering switch will trigger said alarm device.

6. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 5 wherein said magnets areencapsulated within opaque nonmagnetic material in said key.

7. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 6 wherein said lock ispositioned on one side of a nonmagnetic structure and said key is placedon the opposite side of said structure to actuate said lock.

8. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 9 wherein the exteriorshape of said key matches the exterior shape of said lock and whereinaligning one side of said key adjacent to said lock causes selectedmagnets in said key to activate said set switches and wherein aligningthe opposite side of said key adjacent to said lock causes selectedmagnets in said key to activate said reset switches.

9. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 8 in combination with amotor vehicle wherein said lock is placed inside a fixed window and saidtrip switches are positioned at points of possible unauthorized entry soas to be actuated by unauthorized entry.

1. A locking alarm system including: a lock comprising a plurality ofconcealed magnetically activated reed switches arranged in apredetermined pattern; an alarm circuit electrically connected with saidreed switches; a source of electrical power interconnected with saidalarm circuit; an alarm device electrically connected within said alarmcircuit; at least one trip switch electrically connected with said alarmcircuit; a separate key having magnets disposed so as to coincide withselected set reed switches to actuate said alarm device for triggering,said magnets capable of activating said reed switches when said key ismoved close to them; a reset circuit which neutralizes said alarm andwherein at least one of said reed switches in said lock is a reset reedswitch interconnected within said reset circuit and capable of actuatingit when said reset switch is activated, and said key magnets arepositioned so as to be capable of activating said reset switch withoutactivating the other reed switches in said circuit; wherein, when bothsaid selected set reed switches and said trip switch are activated, saidalarm circuit is closed and said alarm device is thereby triggered.
 2. Alocking alarm system as defined in claim 1 which includes a normallyopen set relay and a normally closed reset relay interconnected inelectrical circuitry with said alarm device, wherein said set relay isresponsive to activation of said set reed switches and said reset relayis responsive to activation of said reset reed switches.
 3. A lockingalarm system as defined in claim 2 wherein said reed switches areencapsulated within opaque nonmagnetic material within said lock.
 4. Alocking alarm system as defined in claim 3 wherein there are a pluralityof parallel wired trip switches electrically connected to said alarmcircuit.
 5. A locking alarm system as defined in claim 4 which includesan anti-tampering reed switch in said lock, an anti-tampering relayelectrically connected with said alarm device and said set relaywherein, when said set relay is activated, magnetic attraction adjacentto said anti-tampering switch will trigger said alarm deVice.
 6. Alocking alarm system as defined in claim 5 wherein said magnets areencapsulated within opaque nonmagnetic material in said key.
 7. Alocking alarm system as defined in claim 6 wherein said lock ispositioned on one side of a non-magnetic structure and said key isplaced on the opposite side of said structure to actuate said lock.
 8. Alocking alarm system as defined in claim 9 wherein the exterior shape ofsaid key matches the exterior shape of said lock and wherein aligningone side of said key adjacent to said lock causes selected magnets insaid key to activate said set switches and wherein aligning the oppositeside of said key adjacent to said lock causes selected magnets in saidkey to activate said reset switches.
 9. A locking alarm system asdefined in claim 8 in combination with a motor vehicle wherein said lockis placed inside a fixed window and said trip switches are positioned atpoints of possible unauthorized entry so as to be actuated byunauthorized entry.